1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to disc drive storage devices, and particularly to methods and systems for damping modes of a disc drive head to improve performance.
2. Description of Related Art
Current mass storage devices, such as hard disc drives, have been developed to operate with the disc storage media rotating at very high speeds. The read/write head must be precisely and accurately controlled above the spinning media. Typically, the head is held in a slider which “flies” on a very thin air gap above the high speed spinning media.
Precise and accurate control of the head is important in improving the recording density of the storage device. Stabilizing the slider directly affects control of the head. As vibration is known to diminish the stability of the slider, there is a need for apparatuses and methods for minimizing slider vibration in storage devices. Although active vibration control is possible, such techniques are often costly and complex. In addition, previous techniques for passive vibration control have not adequately addressed both vertical as well as offtrack vibration modes. Previously, vibration has been addressed by damping individual suspension component modes, or by moving dynamic frequencies to higher values where they incur a reduced recording density penalty. Such solutions have not adequately isolated the slider from disturbances, however.
Accordingly, there is a need for apparatuses and methods for stabilizing sliders in storage devices. There is further a need for apparatuses and methods for reducing slider vibration using passive damping. Particularly, there is a need for inexpensive techniques for damping both vertical and offtrack slider vibration modes. The present invention meets these needs and is applicable to all storage devices employing sliders.